Martin Luther King, Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an AfricanAmerican clergyman, activist and prominent leader in the American civil rights movement. His adherence to non-violent tactics and his oratory talents were effective in bringing an end to legal racial segregation and in combating racism generally. King was assassinated in 1968.

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Martin Luther King's assassination in Memphis was seen as a "portent" in the Spring of 1968. Another such portent was an iceberg that had broken from the Ross Ice Shelf in 1966 and floated north to the coast of San Francisco in May of that year.

In the 1960s, Doctor Martin Luther King advocated for equality for black citizens of the United States. The fact that some blacks had willingly fought for the Race's Conquest Fleet during the war, a generation earlier, made King's task both more difficult and more urgent.[1]

He was descended from slaves who were emancipated in the North American Union in 1834, as in the rest of the British Empire. Upon being liberated, Negroes tended to join the government civil service and did well in it, King being one of the most successful.

Colonel Thomas Bushell spoke with Sir Martin on the telephone the night The Two Georges was stolen by the Sons of Liberty. Sir Martin assured Colonel Bushell that all resources of the NAU would be applied to recover the painting. As a symbol of that concern, he and Lieutenant General Sir Horace Bragg and their senior staff, would travel by train from Victoria to New Liverpool and lend their assistance on their arrival.

After Sir Horace introduced Colonel Bushell to Sir Martin and his colleagues, Sir Martin met privately with Bushell, Sir Horace and Sir David. Sir Martin informed Bushell that the The Two Georges had been scheduled to return to Victoria on 15 August for a very important reason, namely that King-EmperorCharles III was due to arrive the next day on the imperial yacht Britannia and view the painting in its colonial setting. The king was also to address both the NAU and Britain, via wireless, on the ties between the two. This set a deadline for the recovery of the painting.

The following day, Colonel Bushell received a ransom demand for 50 million pounds from the Sons of Liberty. It was to be paid by 15 August. Sir Martin was informed and held a second meeting with the two RAMs and Sir David. He decided that if the painting was not recovered by that day, then the Sons' ransom demand would be paid. However, the investigation would continue in order to attempt to recover the painting even if the Sons demanded it be halted.

The deadline of 15 August was suspicious. It was deemed to not be coincidental and that there might be a high level leak to the Sons. Sir Horace was to investigate all who had knowledge of the King-Emperor's visit in order to determine who might be the Sons' source.

A few days later, Sir Martin decided to return to Victoria as his trip to New Liverpool was more symbolic than practical and had accomplished all it could. Sir Horace elected to accompany Sir Martin back and so they and their staff returned to the capital.